Evaporative air cooler



Aug- 11, 1953 w. NORTON EvAPoRATIvE AIR cooLER Filed July 28, 1950 B 37l A KM f FIG. 6

VIL IVI/f I'I: lil/L l Fl G. 3

l miv/A NILLLIE NORTON 1A VENTOR.

Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

rlhis invention relates generally to evaporative coolers, and moreparticularly to coolers of this type which are especially adapted forinstallation in both road vehicles and aircraft.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a cooler havingrelatively large cooling capacity, yet which is small enough that it canbe mounted in normally unused space in a vehicle. In an automobile, forinstance, a cooler unit embodying my invention can be installed beneaththe front fender aft of the road wheel and forward of the front doorhinges. In a small airplane it can be easily installed immediately aftof the passenger compartment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cooler through whichoutside air can be forced, either by ram pressure created by forwardmotion of the vehicle, or by a power driven blower fan, thus providingexibility of operation.

Another object is to provide a cooler` having a relatively largeevaporative surface area, yet having relatively small overalldimensions.

Still another object is to provide a cooler in which the evaporativesurface area is in the form of a large mesh highly absorbent fabricmaterial which presents very little resistance to the flow of airtherethrough, and in which the entire surface area of the fabric ismaintained moist regardless of the rate of flow of air through the unit.and regardless of the rate of evaporation of the water from the fabric.This is accomplished by providing a continuous and ample pressure sprayof water at spaced points along the evaporative surface of the fabric.

The invention, together with other objects attending its production,will be more clearly understood when the following description is readin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

l is a side elevation of a cooler embodying my invention, with parts invertical section;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a tubular frame which constitutes a partof my invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a perforated baille plate;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a preferred type of mesh fabricused with my cooler;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section through the tubular frame ofFig. 2 with the mesh fabric installed thereon; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cooler installed on an automobile,the latter being shown in phantom.

Referring to the drawing it will be seen that a cooler embodying myinvention includes an upright housing I0, substantially square in crosssection. It has a removable bottom section II, normally held in positionby a plurality of suitable fasteners I2, and this bottom serves as waterreservoir, as well as a mounting platform for a small water pump I3,which is rigidly but removably secured thereto, for servicing.

The housing It is provided near its lower end with an air inlet duct I4,which is connected to receive air from an electric motor driven blowerfan I 5, or by ram effect from an air collector I6 located at theforward end of the duct. At some point in the duct I4, preferably aft ofthe blower I5, a conventional damper II is mounted to control air ilowinto the housing.

The housing IE) is provided exteriorly with suitably positionedanchoring brackets I8, the position of which varies with the particularvehicle in which the unit is to be installed.

A removable top I9 for the housing includes a short outlet duct 20, anair flow control damper 2l, and a water filling inlet 22, normallyclosed by a cap 23. A perforated baffle plate 24, of the same crosssectional shape as the housing, is affixed to the nether surface of thetop I9 by means of a plurality of brackets 25. This plate is thusremovable with the top, and serves to prevent water droplets from beingcarried by the air through the outlet duct 2,0 and into the space beingcooled. Water which accumulates on this baffle plate naturally drainsback into the reser- Voir.

The part of the unit which causes fast evaporation of water and resultsin cooling of the air is a self-supporting tubular framework in zig-zagform, designated as a whole by the numeral 26, and clearly shown in Fig.2. This framework serves two purposes. Its horizontal cross tubes 2'I-28serve to support an elongated strip of relatively large mesh fabricnetting 2S, which is woven of highly absorbent relatively large diametercord, as clearly shown in the full scale fragmentary view of Fig. 4. Oneend of the netting is lapped over the uppermost cross tube 28 of thetubular frame, and sewed or otherwise secured. The remainder of thenetting strip is threaded over and around the outside of each succeedinglower cross tube, from side to side of the framework. The lower end ofthe strip is then secured to the lowermost cross tube 21, as by sewing.A plurality of angularly disposed air maze sections are thus formed,through which air must pass in traveling from one end of the housing tothe other.

The second purpose of this tubular framework 26 is to conduct water fromthe pump I3, and to discharge the water laterally of the housing andonto each of the fabric netting air maze sections. To this end eachcross tube 2I-28 is provided with a plurality of orifices 30 (Fig. 5)spaced along the tubes, and located to direct the water spray slightlyupward and along each angularly disposed section of the fabric netting.The lower ends of the two zig-zag side members of the framework 26 areconnected together by a- T-fitting 3I, one branch of which is connectedto receive Water under pressure from the discharge of pump I3.

An electric motor 32 is suitably mounted, as by bolts 33, on the insideof housing I0. It drives a vertical shaft 34, which is journalled nearits lower end in a bearing bracket 35. A universal joint 36 connects thelower end of shaft 34 to the upper end of a second vertical shaft 3I,which in turn has its lower end operably connected to the drive shaft ofthe pump I3.

Installation and operation As previously mentioned, the unit describedmay be installed in an upright position in the aft portion of anautomobile fender, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, with the filler 22accessible when the hood of the car is raised. The funnel-shaped aircollector IB is located toward the front of the car adjacent the coolingair intake. duct 20 is connected to an air delivery duct 38, which isarranged to discharge cooled air into the interior of the car at adesired point. The motor of the blower fan and the pump motor 32 areconnected electrically into the electrical system of the car, each beingcontrolled by a conventional switch (not shown) on the dash of the car.Suitable conventional push-pull linkage (not shown) is connected to thedamper Il, and is operable from the drivers position.

Water is introduced into the reservoir II through filler 22. Motor 32 isstarted and pump I3 forces water through the tubular framework 26', andout through orifices 30 in the cross tubes 21-28, and onto eachindividual section of the fabric netting 29. When the vehicle istraveling at normal cross country road speed ram pressure forces airthrough duct I4, upward through the open meshes of each section of thesaturated fabric netting 29, and out through ducts 20 and i 38, and intothe car. During the travel of the air through the netting a considerableamount of evaporation is caused. This cools and conditions the airbefore it enters the interior of the car.

In case air delivery is not adequate it is only necessary for the driverto close the switch which The controls operation of the blower fanmotor. Fan I5 will then force an adequate supply of outside air throughthe housing and into the car.

Having described the invention with sufficient clarity to enable thosefamiliar with this art to construct and use it, I claim:

1. An evaporative type air conditioner for automobiles comprising: abase pan adapted to hold a quantity of water; an elongated uprighthousing mounted on and extending above the pan and secured beneath afender of the automobile; an air inlet conduit communicating with thelower end of the housing and extending forward therefrom to the forwardend of the vehicle; a ram air scoop on the forward end of said conduitopen to the atmosphere through which the vehicle passes; an uprightzig-zag self supporting frame of substantially the same cross sectionalsize and shape as the interior of the housing, seat in said base pan andextending to the upper end of the housing, said frame being made up ofhollow intercommunicating upright and horizontal members; a strip ofhighly absorbent large mesh fabric strung back and forth betweenopposite horizontal members of said frame in zig-zag arrangement forminga series of spaced air maze panels through all of which air must pass asit travels through the housing; an outlet air conduit communicating withthe upper end of the housing and with the interior of the automobile; amotor driven pump mounted interiorly of the housing with its inlet opento the interior of said pan immediately adjacent the bottom thereof; aconduit connecting the outlet of said pump with the interior of saidframe near the lower end thereof; and spaced outlet apertures in thehorizontal frame members on which said fabric is strung, directed todeliver water directly onto said fabric at various levels within saidhousing.

2. The air conditioner described in claim 1 and a motor driven blowerfan disposed in the air inlet conduit to boost the travel of airtherethrough.

WILLIE NORTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEI) STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 522,989 King July 17, 1894 1,286,550 Davis Dec. 3, 19181,436,483 Cox Nov. 21, 1922 1,784,907 Patrick Dec. 16, 1930 1,815,864Patrick July 2l, 1931 2,160,549 Kurth May 30, 1939 2,435,798 Rice et alFeb. l0, 1948

